Shielding components which may be fastened on a mounting component serving as support have been disclosed. Such shielding devices are widely used in automotive engineering to protect heat-sensitive structural components such as sensors, fuel lines, pressure cells, critical bolted joints on sensitive housing components, etc. While the heat generated, for example, by an economical performance-optimized diesel engine on the cylinder or crankcase housing may be very slight, this situation is not at all true of “hot zones” such as those of manifolds, turbochargers, catalytic converters, etc. Protective shielding surfaces must then be present at appropriate points. This need applies in particular in the vicinity of catalytic converters, which represent strong heat sources because of their phases of high surface temperature.
During operation the shielding devices required in the “hot zones” are subjected not only to thermal loads but to mechanical loads as well, especially as a result of vibrations transmitted to the shielding component by support components. Because of these stresses, special requirements are set for the connecting devices which hold such shielding devices in place on the associated mounting components. The conventional state-of-the-art connecting devices provide springs (clips) clamped under a certain amount of preliminary tension to stay bolts or the like, and to entire structural components such as ignition switches of generators or exhaust manifolds. The clamping force or retaining force is determined by selection of the spring material and the structural configuration of the respective springs. It has been found that, in particular if the support component involved is a high-temperature component, the danger exists that fatigue phenomena may occur in the material of the spring, and is increased if vibrations resulting from operation are added. Consequently, connecting devices of the prior art do not ensure reliable fastening of the respective shielding components.